Digital Scaffolding for Self-Regulation: Using WhatsApp Reminders to Improve Sport Self-Efficacy in University Students

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a self-regulation strategy called Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) can improve university students' confidence in participating in tennis training. The study also examines whether adding WhatsApp reminder messages makes the strategy more effective. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does using MCII help students feel more confident about joining and continuing tennis training? Do WhatsApp reminders increase the effect of MCII on sport self-efficacy? Researchers compared two groups. One group used the MCII strategy alone, while the other group used MCII together with reminder messages sent through WhatsApp. Participants were university students who were already enrolled in a tennis training program. Participants: Completed a questionnaire about their self-efficacy before the study started Took part in a four-week intervention during regular tennis training sessions Completed MCII planning exercises before training sessions Received WhatsApp reminders before sessions if assigned to the reminder group Completed the same questionnaire again after the intervention The study aims to better understand how simple digital reminders may support self-regulation and improve students' confidence to continue participating in sports.

This study is grounded in self-regulation theory and investigates the effectiveness of a structured psychological strategy, Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII), in supporting self-efficacy related to university students' participation in tennis training. In addition, the study examines whether digitally delivered reminder prompts enhance the effectiveness of the MCII intervention compared with the standard MCII procedure alone. The study used a two-arm randomized experimental design with pretest-posttest assessments. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two conditions: (1) MCII-only or (2) MCII combined with WhatsApp reminder prompts. Randomization was conducted using an SPSS-generated allocation sequence prepared by an independent researcher. Due to the behavioral nature of the intervention and the use of self-reported measures, blinding was not feasible. The intervention was implemented over a four-week period within a structured university tennis training program. All participants received standardized instruction on the MCII strategy and completed structured MCII worksheets before training sessions. The worksheets guided participants through mental contrasting (identifying desired outcomes and possible obstacles) and implementation intentions (forming "if-then" action plans). Participants assigned to the digital reminder condition received structured WhatsApp prompts one day before scheduled sessions to support anticipatory self-regulation and preparation. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate whether integrating low-cost digital reminders into a self-regulation intervention produces stronger improvements in self-efficacy compared with using MCII alone. The intervention was designed as a brief, low-intensity behavioral support strategy embedded within regular training activities rather than a standalone program. Data were collected at baseline and immediately after the intervention period using standardized self-report instruments, and analyses focused on within-group and between-group changes associated with intervention condition.